Braiding-machine.



No. $362,436. PATENTED AUG. e, 1907.

V. BEAUREGARD;- BRAIDINGMAGHINE. l

BPLIUATION FILEDMARJ-S. 1906.

v 5 SHEETS-SHEETS.

Nol 862,436.

' IATNTED AUG. 6, 1907.

V. BEAUREGARD. BRAIDING MAGHINE.- A APPLICATION IILBD MABJQ. 1906'.

NofaszAse. PATENTED AUG.-6, 1907. V. BEAUREGARD.

BRAIDING MACHINE:

APPLICATION FILED MAB..19.1 906.

' vs SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED sfragrns PATENT ordnen.-

VICTOR BEAUREGARD, OF'VNEW YORK, 'N. Y., ASSIGNCR TO AMERICAN CIRCULAR LOOM lOMPANY, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, 'A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BRAID'ING-MACHINE.

7'0 all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that I, VICTOR BEAUREGARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the` county of New York and State Aof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Braiding-Macbi'nes, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention .relates to an improvement in braiding machines, ofthat class in which strips of sheet materiall are braided into the form of a tube, and the objects are, first. to provide a si1nplecheap, and durable machine for tubular braiding in which strips of sheet material, such, for instance, as paper fiber may be braided into tubular form; second` to prevent the strands from catching and tearing off when they pass 'over one another; third, to maintain a substantially uniform tension on the portions of the strands which intervene between the reels and the pointI of braiding; fourth, to provide devices to lock the reels against backward rotatiouwhen strands become broken; and fifth, to provide feeding mechanism which shall not crush nor distort the tubular fabric and which shall feed said fabric at a constant uniform rate of speed, @aid feed being readily adjustable by the operator.

lhe invention consists vin the combination and arrangement ef parts set forth in the followingl specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved braiding machine. Fig. 2 is a section, partly in elevation, online 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows on said line. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan section-taken on line 3 3of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section, partly in elevation, on line 4 4 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of thearrows on said line. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the reels, together wthla reel standard andreel carrier. Fig. 6 isa detail sectional elevation of a portion of the parts illustrated in Fig. 5, partly broken away and with a portion of the reel standard yindicated in dotted lines. Fig; 7 is a plan section on line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a section, partly infelevation, taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 5, looking toward the right in said figure. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section, partly in elevation and partly brokenaway, en line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows in said figure. p

.l Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings is a guide-plate provided with sinuous intersecting guide slots 16 and 17. The guidef plate 15 is also provided with recesses' 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 formed therein. Stationary shafts 26` 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 extend upwardly within the recesses 18, 19,-20, 21'; 2223, 24 ,and 25, respectively. Spur gears 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40and 41 are journaled on the shafts 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31,- 32 and 33, respec- Specification of Letters Patent. i Application and March 19,1906. serai No. 306,738.

tively, said gears forming a continuous train and said driven by a belt (not shown) is adapted `and 52 are fast to the gears 34, 35,

in the direction of the arrows a and the drica-l portions of said reel carriers.

tersections of the slot 16 with the slot 17.

reel carriers.

' mounted on the shaft 60. The plate 62 to. A winding ratchet 65, journaled on v having screw-threaded engagement with -and the strip of paper liber rolled thereo therewith. A ratehet172 is journaled on Patented Aug'. e, 1907.

- train being driven by a spin` gear 42 whichrneshes into the gear 35. vThe gear 42 is fast to a shaft 43 journaled in the guide-plate 15. A pulley 44 fast to the shaft 43 and to rotate the series of reel carriers 54 is moved in the direction of the arrows b by the exchange-plates 45, 4o,v 47, 48, 49, v50, 51 and 52, 7 0 each of said exchange-plates provided with substantially semi-circular notches in opposite ends thereof, respectively, said notchesadapted to engage the cylin- Each of the reelcarriers 53 is provided with an elongated portion 55, pointed at both ends, said elongated portion acting to guide said reell carrier across the in- Each of the reel carriers'54 is provided with an elongated portionl 56, pointed, at both ends, said elongated portion acting to guide'said reel carrier across th'e intersections of the rovidcd with the reel car- Each of said l'eel earriers is provided with a ball thrust bearing 59 which enable the reel standards to swivel easily upon said is splincd to the shaft 60 by a key 64 and the plate 63 is loose on Said shaft and is free to nieve rotativcly withrelation therev shaft 43 and thus drivethe train of gearing hereinbel'ore 60 described. Exchange-plates'45. 46,47, 48, v49, 50v` 51 97, 38, 39, 40 and 41, respectively. A series of four. reel'carriers 53. all identical in construction engage the slot 1.6 and are adapted to travel therein. A series of four rcel carriers 54, all identical in construction, are adapted to travel in the guide-slot 17. The series of reel carriers 53 is moved Each of the reel standards 57 has a shaft 60 journaled i therein; A 'reel 61, consisting of plates 62 and 63, is

the shaft 60,

is provided with pins 66 by which said ratchet may be moved rotatively. A coil spring 67, fast at one end to the shaft 60 and at the-other to the winding ratchet 65, acts to normally move the shaft 60 in the direction of the arrow c l(Fig. 5). The tension of said spring may be adjusted by moving said winding ratchet 65- in the direction of the arrow rl (Fig. 5), a stoplpawl 68 acting to hold said ratchet" in its adjusted position. 69, journaled on the shaft 60, has wound thereon a strip of paper fiber in the form of a roll, .the inner end of said roll being fastened to said disk. thumb-nut 70 A' disk the shaft 60 'may be adjusted nsaid shaft to cause the reel plate 62 to bear with more or less pressure upon the disk 69 n. A brakedrum 71 is pinned to the disk 69and moves rotatively" fand'rotateswith the -rsel plate 63vby reason of a stud 73 which passes through said ratchet and said reelplate. A brake-band 74, preferably formed of very thin sheet v metal, surrounds the brake-drum 71 and both ends of i said brake-band are inserted-in a jaw' 75 formed inthe stud 73, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. It will be' pressed stop 78. A helical extension spring 79, fastatV one end to the brakegarm 7 6`and 'atlthe other end to the ratchet 72, acts to hold the end 77 of said brake-arm in contactwith the stop 78.

In the lnormal operation of the machine the tension of the strand 80, leading ,from the reel 61, acts" to hold the end '77 of the brake-arm 76 against the stop 78 With such force as to overcome the tension of thespring' 7 9' sullicientlyito allow the brake-arm 76 to be swung toward theright (Figs. and 6)-thereby holding the brake-band 74 loosely around the brake-drum 71. If

the friction oi the reel plate 62 against the disk 69 and a the roll of fiber, should not be great enough, or, 'if the viblation of Athe machine should cause a slipping oi saidroll of fiber faster than the strand leading therefrom istaken'up by the braiding process, the-tension of the spring 67 would become diminished by atendency to left-handed rotation of the shaft 62 in'the na-V v ture of a gradual slipping of the reelplate 62against said disk and roll, if it were, not for the brake hereinbelore described. 'ShoulfLsuch a slipping occur beyond the normal slipping, 'due to theunwinding of the roll in' the process of braiding, the tension upon the strand .80 becomes diminished to such an extent that the end 77 ofthebrake arm76 has a tendency to move away from the stop 78, but said end being held in contact `with said stop by the spring 79, the reel plate 63,

through which the stud 73 passes, moves very slightly in the direction of the arrow f(Fig. 6), thus `causing said stud to be rocked in the direction o the arrow e (Fig. 6) by the pull ofA the spring 79 upon the brakearm 76, thus causing the brake-band 74 to grip the of fiber thereon, against rotation until in the'operation.

of braiding the slack hereinbefore mentioned has been l taken up and the normal tension on the strand has been restored, whereupon the friction of said roll of fiber against the reel plate 63 acts to-move said reel pla-te in the direction of the arrow g (Fig. 6) with suicient force to cause the end 77 of the brake-arm 76 to boar against the stop 78 with its normal pressure, thus causing the brake-band 74 to become loosened from the brakdrupi 71, whereupon the roll oi fiber resumes its normal slipping with relation to the reel 61.'

The. re'el standard 57 is provided with an arm 81 formed integral therewith. A guide-finger 82, pivoted at 83 to the arm 81, 1s provided with guide-pins 84 and S5. between which the strand 80 passes. The

arm 81 is provided with pins 86 and 87 through which ,ratchet 72. It', however, the strand 80 should become 4ranged to slide within the hollow post 91. and fast connected vto the gu ide-finger 82 by a link 90. `While Athe strand 80 is under' tension, the gi1idetinger 8,2 acting onthe link and the stop-pawl 88 Aacts to hold said .sto'p-pawl out of engagement with the severed, the right hand'end of the guide-finger 82 (Fig. 5) drops of its own weight to thel position shown' in dotted lines, thereby causing the 'stop-pawl `8b to engage the ratchet '72, lockingth'e reel`61. against backward rotation. It will be understood that the. reel mechanisms are all identical in' construction and that the foregoing description applies to them all.

A'hollow post 91. is lprovidedvat its upper end with a stationary ring 92 iast thereto. A tubo 93 is ar- 1 thereto is a stud 94 on which is jonrnaled a ca1nroll 95. A cam 96,v journaled on the exterior of the hollow .l post 91,',is provided with an undulatory face 97 which f engages the ycam-roll 95. AA grooved pulley98, vtermed integral with the cam 96, is driven by a roundbelt 99 irom-a'grooved'pulley 100 last to the shaft 43. The

.rotation of the cam 96 acts to impart a vertical reciprocatory movement to the tube 93. A movable ring 101 is Iformed integral with the tube 93. The'stationary ring 92- is provided with' slots 102 which register with 'slots 103 formed in 'the tube 93. -Through those slots Aextend presser arms'104 providedwith presser rolls 105, journaled on said arms.l I flhepresser arms 104 are pivoted at 125 to a vcollar 106 surrounding the post 91 and fasttheret'o. Adjusting screws 107, having screw-threaded engagement with the collarlO,

are provided with collars 108 fast thereto. Helical compression springs 109 bear'at theirl lower ends againslthe collars 108 'and at their upper ends against the presser arms 104 which are slotted to receive the ad-l justing screws 107. The presser arms 104 may b adjusted .by turning the handles 110 of the adjustingscrews 107. W.. 'j i Extendingupwardlyl from the guide-plate 15 are4 posts 111 Aand 112 `on which is'mounteda frame-,113. A vertical shaft 114 is journaled in the frame 11.3 and has fast to its upper end a sprocket-wheel 115 and to its lower end a tapered mandrel 1.16,l said mandrel being provided with a screw-thread upon which to braid the fabric. 'The sprocket-wheelV 1145 -is driven by a chain 117 from a 'sprocket-wheel -118 fast to a vertical shalt 119. The shaftf119 isljournaled in bearings in the frame 113 and the'guide-plate 15,'respectively, and is driven by a gear-120 'whichrneshes Vinto the gear 42.;- The tension of the chain 117 is maintained by an idler roll 121 journaled on an'idler arm 1 22, said arm being adjustably mouhtedon the frame 113.

The operation' is'as follows: Starting with the `part- Yshown in the posit-ions` illustratedin Figs. l and 2, the

strands 80 leading from thereels l'having'- been pre- 120 viously braided upon the mandrel 116, the sries of reel carriers 53, together withl lthe reels-and mechanism thereon, are moved'in the guide-slot '16 in the direction of the arrows a,while the reel carriers 54,

together with` the 'reels and mechanism thereon`,are` 12 5 ing on the mandrel 116. The reel standards 57 are 130 free to swivel upon their respective reel carriers, and

by reason of the, strands 80 leading therefrom through the guide-fingers 82 are, maintained in their radial relation'to thecenter ofthe-mandrel IlGV-t'hat is, the

axis-of each reel is at' all times at right angles to a plane in which .the median axial line ot`- said .mandrel and the median axial line of the spindle 58 are located.

As the'tubular fabric is braided on the mandrel 11.6 it is fed downwardly therefrom by the rotation of said mandrel, Its rate of feed may be `governed by adjusting the presser rolls 105 with more or less pressure against said fabric. The braided fabric passes downwardly through the tube 93 and from thence may be carried through thev flooring and rolled up' upon any suitable reel (notAshoWn). As the strands 80 cross yand re-cross on the stationary ring 92, any tendency which they may have to catch on the edges of each other is overcome by the movable ring 10] which is reciprocated vertically, .as hereinbeiore described, and which imparts to the portions of the strands which intervene between the guide-fingers 82 and the mandrel-11G a very rapid vertical vibratory movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Pat-ent to secure is:

1. In a machine for braiding strips of sheet material in the form o f a tube, two series of reels, mecha'nism for moving.: each, series in an opposite direction to that of the other, 'a tapered mandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which to braid the fabric, and mechanism for impartinp; a rotary movement to said mandrel, whereby said fabric is fed oit ot said lnandrel.

2. in a machine for braiding flat strips of resilient material in the form of a tube, two'serics 'of reels, mechanism for-horizontally moving each series in yan opposite direction to that of the other, and a tapered vmandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which to braid said fabric, and mechanism for imparting a rotary movement. to said mandrel whereby said tube is fed off ot' saidv mandrel.

in a machine for braiding strips of sheet. material in the form of a tube, two seresof reels, mechanism for movina` each series in an opposite direction to that of thc other, a mandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which to braidthe fabric. and mechanism tor imparting a rotary movement to said mandrel, whereby said fabric is fed oft of siiid mandrel.

4. in a machine for braiding strips of sheet material in the form of atube. two series of reels, mechanism for moviner cach series in an opposite direction to that of the. other, a mandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which tn braid the fabric, mechanism for imparting a rotary movement to said mandrel, whereby said fabric is fed oi'f of said mandrel, und a plurality of presser rolls-adapted to said fabric against said mandrel.

. in a machine for braidin;r strips of sheet material in tbe'torm of a tube, two series of reels. mechanism for moving;r each series in an oppositedirection to that of the other, a mandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which to braid the fabric, mechanism for limparting a rotary movement to said mandrel, whereby said fabric is fed oif said mandrel, a plurality of presser rolls adapted to aid fabric against said mandrel, and means for varyine` the pressure of said presser' rolls against said fabric.

(L in a machine for braidingr strips of sheet material in the form or' a tube, two series ot reels. mechanism for movina cach series in an opposite direction to that of,the

other. 4:rnidc-lingers adapted to guide the strands as they arc unwound from said reels, a mandrel providedrwith a screw-thread upon which to braid Athe fabric, mechanism t'or imparting' n rotary movement to said mandrel,- wherebysaid fabric is fed olli'o't said mandrel, and means for imtin.;r a vertical movement to the portions of said mds which intervene between said ,cuide-fingers and yseries. and the other ot' which is adapted to guide the 'ther of said serios. mechanism for' `moving said series of reel carriers in opposite directions', respectively, reel-standr nrnalcd to oscillate about vertical axes on said reel ca reels jouruaicd on said reel-standards with their axcs in a substantially horizontal plane, a mandrel provided with n scrmv-ilu'cad upon which to braid the fabric. and mechanism ior impartinga rotary movement to said mandrel, whereby said iabr-ic is fed oft of said mandrel.-

S. In arubular hraidinf.;- machine, two series of reel caridf` plate provided with two endless sinuous innidc-slois onc of which is adapted to guide one oi said series. and the other ot whicl-l is adapted to guide thc other of said series, mechanism for moving cach of said scriesol rcel carriers horizontally in opposite direclions. rcspr-wlvely. reid-stamiards jonrnaled to oscillate about vertical axes on said reel carriers, a mandrel `provided willi-a sclcw-ihrczul upon which to braid-the fabric, and mechanism i'oryimpzu'iinar a rotary movement to said mandrel, whereby said fabric is fed oit oi said mandrel.

il. in a machine i'or braidingl stripspf sheet. material in the form oi a tube, a guide-plate provided with two sinuous intersectingr -nido-slots. two series of reel carriers, cach series adapted to engage. respectively', one of said lnuide-slots.,mechanism foil moving said series of reel carriers in opposite directions` respectively, rcel-standards.

journaled tooscillatc about vertical axes on said reel-car riers, reels ,ournaled onsaid reel standards with their` axes in a substantially horizontal plane, a mandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which to braid the fabric,

mechanism for imparting a rotary movement to said man dreh whereby said fabric' is fed off of said mandrel, a plurality of presser rolls adapted to press said fabric against said mandrel, and means for varyingthe pressure of said presser rolls against said fabric.

10. In a machine for braiding strips of sheet material in the form of a tube, a guide-plate provided with two sinn-A ous intersecting guide-slots, two series of reel carriers, each series adapted. to engage, respectively, one of said slots,l mechanism for inoving said series of reel-carriers in oplmsite directions, respectively, reel-stai'idards journaied to oscilla te about vertical axes on said reel-carriers, reels journaled ou said reel-standards with their axes in a sub- 'stantially horizontal plane, posts extending upwardly from said guide-plate, a frame snppol'tcd upon said posts, a substantiallyyertical shaft journaled on said frame with its axis coincident with the vertical ,median line of said guideplate, a downwardly extending screw-threaded mandrel tast to said vertical shaft, and mechanism for rotating said shaft.

1i, In a machine for braiding strips of sheet material in the form of a tube, two series of reels, mechanism for mov-l ine each series in an opposite direction to that of the other, a mandrel provided with a screw-thread upon which to braid the fabric, mechanism for imparting a rotary movement to said mandiel, whereby Said fabric is fed off of said mandrei, a stationary ring surrounding said mandrel and substantially concentric therewith, a hollow post to which said stationary ring is fast, a movable ring within said stationary ring and substantially concentric therewith,A a tube to which said movable ring is fast, said tube arranged to slide vertically in said hollow post, and mechanisxu to reciprocate said tube.

.12.v In a` machine for braiding strips of sheet material in the form of a. tube, a guide-plate provided with a sinuous guide-slot, n reel carrier adapted to engage said slot, mechanism vfor4 moving said reel carrier" in said slot, a reelstanda'rd jonrnaled to oscillate about a vertical axis. on.

said reel carrier, a reel journaled on said 'reel-standard' vwith itsnxis in a substantially horizontal plane/said reel adapted to contain a strip of sheet material, in the formof a roll, frictional tensiont means operatively `connected to said reel, spring-actuatedtake-up means operatively connected .to said reel, a.guidenger adapted to guide4 said vstri'p'as it is unwound from said reel, and locking means adapted -tojock said take-up 'means when a. strand controlled by ysaid take-upV means is severed, vsaid locking means operatively connected to said guide-ringer.v

13. ln a machine for braiding strips of .sheet material ln the form of a tube, a gu1deplate provided with a sinuons "guide-slot, .a reel carrier adapted to engage said sloi.l

mechanism for moving said reel carrier in said slot, n reelstamdard journaled to osoillate about'a vertical axis on said reel carrier, a reel journale'd on said reel standard with its axis in a substantially horizontal plane", said reel adapted ico contain a strip of'sheet material, in the form of a roll, frictional tension means operatively connected to .lll said reel, spring-actuated take up means operatively onnected to said reel,.and means to lock said-take-up means when a strand controlled @y said take-up means' is severed.

ln testimony whereof'fl have hereunto set myhand in presence of ytwo subscribing witnesses, thistvvelfth da'y of y March 19ml.

' VICTOR BEAUREGARD.

Witnesses I .TA Mns I". B RAGG,

Crus. G. CHRISTIE. 

